Only Human
by Nytewing
Summary: Robin's teammates need to learn that he is human, no matter how much he wishes that they would forget it. Pre-Artemis, though she may show up later. Robin/Everyone friendship fic
1. The Bat's First Lesson Part 0

A/N: A chapter will be posted a day until I run out of pre-done chapters. This is sort of modeled after

the five and one stories but each section will vary in length. The first one is a two-shot and actually

starts in chapter two, this is just the set up.

Summary: First his teammates need to learn that he is human (and therefore limited) then they need

to learn to forget that fact (because he is a human who could kick their collective cans).

Disclaimer: If I owned this Roy would be Dick and Wally's age (like he SHOULD be). He's not, ergo….

*  
Prologue

Robin did not tell the truth when he said Batman's first lesson was to always have your utility belt.

The real first lesson was one that seems almost unspoken, and yet Batman enforced it each day. The real

first lesson was that a Bat must know everything about everyone. It was the only way to stay ten steps

ahead (any less than that and you were falling behind).

It was because of this lesson that Robin knew that Kaldur's favorite color was teal, despite the older

boy never showing any predilection towards the hue. It was why he knew that both Wally and M'gann shared

the crippling fear of being alone, Wally through his powers and M'gann through the loss of her people. And it

was how he knew that Superboy knew nothing of human physiology. The clone did not understand that he

could absorb a blow that would kill Robin twenty times over and as such did not know how to compensate

for that fact in a fight.

Sometimes Robin hated how observant Batman's training made him. He hated looking a person in the eye and

instantly knowing their life's story or accidentally glancing in a woman's purse and knowing exactly what worried her.

But most of the time he loved the ability. He loved surprising people with his knowledge, he loved the little smile

Superboy got when he realized someone cared after Robin used his knowledge about the clone in some way,

and he loved the puzzle of it all.

It is Batman's first lesson (though not his first rule) and the teenagers of Young Justice are about to learn it the hard way.

The second chapter will be up as soon as I spell check it.


	2. Life's a Race Part 1 Section 1

Disclaimer: Still not mine, not much has changed in the last hour.

Chapter One:

Life's a Race, and There Ain't No Room for Someone in Second Place. (Part One)

Outnumbered and outgunned. When he was with Batman, Robin loved fights like rush was amazing, watching the confidence of the thugs turn into fear when they saw the Batman's silhouette. One day Robin hoped he could inspire that kind of fear in the scum of the underworld.

But fights were Young Justice was outnumbered were not fun, merely stressful. His teammates were inexperienced and did not know how to work together for maximum impact. Robin instinctively slipped into the patterns he had Batman might use in these situations only to find that Superboy had stepped into his path or Wally had tripped his target. It was frustrating to say the least and infuriating otherwise.

Currently the young heroes were surrounded by fifteen masked henchmen. Robin and Aqualad stood back to back with Miss Martian hovering above them and kid flash and Superboy on either side. Though he could not see the older boy Robin knew thy Aqualad's eyes were currently darting about the room, desperately trying to think of a plan that would ensure the safe escape of every member of the team. Robin scanned the room searching for exits. While fifteen to two would be fun with batman, and was by no means an uncommon occurrence, this team was new and he had no desire to see any of them get killed. Better to run now and return to fight another day.

"There!" He hissed to Aqualad. The Atlantean's eyes followed Robin's gaze.

"Excellent," he murmured, calm as ever. "Miss M, we will need a path. Kid, get the weapons. Superboy, open it." The three darted off to fulfill their instructions.

"And us?" Robin asked, cocking one eyebrow inquisitively.

"While they are distracting them and creating an escape route you and I shall complete the mission."

A very bad feeling swept of the Boy Wonder. He shivered a little, but there was no time to argue. The others could only create a very small window of time for them and they still needed to break into the safe and retrieve the flash drive Batman sent them for.

"Let's go," he replied, shoving away his misgivings, and they were off. Robin shot his grapnel gun and swung up to get the height advantage on his enemies while Aqualad simply tore through them with a ruthless combination of water blades and electricity.

"Robin, the safe!" Aqualad shouted above the renewed noise of the fight. Robin nodded and, quickly dispatching the man he was grappling with slipped through the tangle of limbs to the locked door. He pressed himself into a small alcove, using every skill Batman had instilled in him to become invisible. Aqualad would protect him while he did his job, but it would be better to remove himself as a target altogether.

The lock was a complex system that scanned fingerprints as the code was entered. Robin smirked. Kid stuff. He pulled a cord from the pouch on the side of his glove, attached it and got to work, fingers flying over the holographic interface.

_Locate the base code. _Easy.

_Give user administrative access. _Done. The sounds of battle began to fade.

_Disable fingerprint scanning capabilities. _Strangely quiet now, but Robin did not let that interrupt his focus.

_Change the passcode. _Someone approached form behind.

_Do mental dance and thank Batman for his hours of tutelage in the computer arts. _Robin spun to greet whoever was trying to sneak up on him, raising his arms to a fighting stance as he did so. Aqualad did not react.

Robin glanced past him to see that the baddies were down and M'gann was lifting KF through the hole. Superboy was nowhere to be seen so Robin assumed he was guarding the entrance from the outside.

"Got it," the safe door swung open soundlessly at his touch. Robin snatched up the single flash drive that rested in the center of the small cubby. "Ready?"

Aqualad lifted one eyebrow at the boy. "Waiting on you."

"Well I'm waiting on you, fishboy!" A quick grin as the smaller hero passed the larger told him the nickname was given affectionately. Aqualad shook his and began to follow. They began to weave their way through the bodies, with Aqualad opting to jog around them while Robin jumped over each with increasingly ridiculous flips. Aqualad felt he should reprimand the boy but Robin's honest joy was infectious and his did not wish to cause it to cease.

Just as they crossed the halfway point of the warehouse an explosion rocked the ground beneath them. The two heroes paused only long enough to see the multitude of henchmen spill out of the newly created hole in the wall. Robin swallowed convulsively. Great, and everything was going so smoothly before.

The window Robin spotted and Superboy smashed open was fifty yards in front of them and thirty feet in the air. Robin allowed a small smile to grace his face, they were almost out! His ribs twinged a little as he pushed himself to make it to the window. Aqualad was pulling ahead.

"Robin hurry!" A jolt shot through the boy when he saw what had caused Aqualad to speed up, a metal plate was descending over the broken area of wall.

"Shit," he muttered, mentally apologizing to Alfred.

Robin watched in horror as Aqualad reached the window and leapt up to the ledge. He paused there, waiting for the smaller boy. Robin grabbed his grappnel gun and fired. For the briefest of moments, as his feet left the ground, robin though he might make it. Then something pulled Aqualad backwards and the metal plate slammed shut. Jump-line severed Robin plummeted to the unforgiving concrete. He landed with a gasp for air and a cry of pain. The pursuers surrounded the boy wonder and suddenly he found himself wishing for fifteen to five odds. Thirty to one was not looking so hot.


	3. Nosebleeds and Boxes Part 1 Section 2

**You know, I hate it when an author says one thing and then does another and then whines and complains about school and such. Unfortunately, I am about to become a hypocrite. This last week about killed me, but I totally have a gift to make up for it…. 3000 words! (woo.) **

**Hopefully this makes up for the abominable wait. I really am sorry. I'll try and be back on schedule starting now. **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own them. **

**Chapter Two: Nosebleeds and Boxes**

"Where's Rob?" Aqualad twisted midair and landed on his feet. He ignored Kid Flash in favor of leaping back up to the metal ledge and desperately attempting to pry the window open.

"Superboy, Miss Martian!" He shouted. They didn't move. "Now!" The rare urgency in his voice forced them into movement.

"I don't understand," Miss Martian said as she flew up to the ledge. Superboy simply jumped the distance.

"Robin was behind me." Four words sent the remaining members of Young Justice into a controlled frenzy. Aqualad yanked harder on the metal. He could feel his fingernails beginning to give but ignored the pain. He had not had time to count the men chasing them but he was sure it was more than the boy could handle on his own. A sudden thought struck him.

"Kid Flash, can you get through the wall?" The fifteen year old speedster's eyes met his.

"I-I can try."

"Do it." Aqualad infused his voice with a little bit of the confidence he heard his King use so frequently. It worked and Kid Flash's back straightened. Aqualad expected to see him rush into motion, but to his surprise the boy stood more still than the Atlantean had ever before witnessed. Then, in the blink of an eye he was simply gone. Aqualad prayed the fifteen year old found Robin quickly.

* * *

Inside the complex Robin unknowingly echoed Aqualad's thoughts and prayers. He had not even attempted to fight the masses that surrounded him. Instead he grabbed the shoulders of the nearest one and pulled him to the ground. His momentum carried him over the man, allowing Robin to draw the escrima sticks Batman gave him for his last birthday from their position on his belt. Fingers grasped at him but he slapped them away. A quick rabbit punch took the owner down and Robin stepped into the vacuum created by the man. In this way he moved across the room, fighting only the few men fast enough to lay a hand on him. As he travelled Robin scanned the building for an exit. But it seemed the window he spotted before was the only way out.

_No, that's not quite right, is it?_ The inner voice he privately thought of as Batman sneered. _Use your head Robin!_

But, what- Robin's eyes widened. Sure, the window was the only exit he had seen before, but the men had created a rather large one when they made their rather dramatic entrance. A rather large one that was currently in the exact opposite direction from the one he was travelling in.

_That took too long, Robin. _ The voice was tinged with a smirk and disappointment. Robin briefly wondered if maybe he should be worried about that. It couldn't be normal to- No! Not the time for that. He leaned forward and tried to run faster. A large vertical beam loomed before him.

Reaching the beam Robin stretched out his arm and hooked it around smooth metal. His momentum caused the boy to swing in a wide arc around the pole, his cape fluttering and flapping behind him. The men chasing him did not pause, despite his sudden change in direction.

Robin charged. The men raised their guns. Time seemed to slow down. He could hear the bolts clicking into place in preparation of action. And then a violent wind swept through the warehouse.

* * *

Phasing though solid materials felt strange in a way Kid Flash was never quite sure how to describe. Flash once said it was trying to shove ten billion square pegs through fifteen round holes all at the same time. Kid Flash agreed, but also thought that something about it was not unlike the crawling sensation the drill at the dentist incited, but also, completely different from either of those. The only thing he could ever definitively say was that he didn't like it.

Kid Flash wiped fruitlessly at the blood that began streaming from his nose. Robin might have underplayed his reaction to trying to phase shift through walls. A little. Okay a lot. It was just so damn annoying! The Flash never had to deal with nosebleeds! Why should he? With a deep sigh of frustration the speedster focus on the pure freedom of movement and watched as the world slowed to a crawl.

He stepped forward. Logically he knew that in real time the rest of his team was still moving, but it was hard to believe that when they appeared to be motionless statues. His right foot entered the wall first and the amount of blood instantly ramped up. Grimacing Kid Flash forced himself to continue. The unpleasant sensation quickly moved across his whole body until finally he was through.

The speedster took a moment to observe the situation on the other side of the wall.

Robin was not visible at first glance and Kid Flash allowed himself to hope that the kid had found some hideaway and was waiting for the team to break back in and save him. But, when he looked again he realized that that thought was ridiculous. No one in anyway related to Batman could do anything the easy way, could they?

Robin was currently suspended in midair, halfway through swinging around a beam. But, instead of running away from the bad guys like anyone normal faced with the odds Robin was would, he seemed to be turning around to attack them. Kid Flash shook his head at the brash attitudes of his teammate and friend. The kid was insane.

Kid Flash forced his molecules to slow down at least a little and the other people in the room slowly began to move again. He darted across the room and grabbed Robin from the air.

Before Robin could even begin to comprehend what was happening he blinked. When his eyes opened again he yelped in shock. Instead of thirty angry henchmen all he saw was the wide eyed gaze of his best friend.

"You okay?" Kid Flash breathed. Robin nodded absently as he inspected their hidey hole. Kid Flash had brought them to a small storage room. Dusty cardboard boxes were piled on all sides of them. Robin shifted a little, attempting to make a little more room.

"Dude, you're kinda close," he muttered. Kid Flash rolled his eyes but did move back a few inches. His shoulder brushed up against a box sending a cloud of dust into the air. Robin's breath caught in his throat. He attempted to hold back the hacking coughs that threatened to escape, all while glaring viciously at the sheepish speedster.

"Sorry," Kid Flash grinned at him through the haze. "So, you got a plan for how to get out of here?"

"Gimme a minute," Robin absently moved one hand to his ribs while the other massaged his aching head.

"Are you okay, Robbie?" Kid Flash whispered.

The hand on his ribs immediately stilled. Robin wouldn't meet his eyes and Kid Flash knew right then that something was very wrong.

"I'm fine," Robin snapped.

"Rob-" The closest to a Batglare that a thirteen year old can muster zeroed in upon him. Kid Flash flinched.

"Man, I hate it when you guys do that," a near silent growl was his only response. The two of them sat in silence for a few moments before sounds started to drift in from the hallway.

"Shit," Kid Flash muttered. He felt his molecules started to vibrate in anticipation of the coming fight. "You ready with that plan yet, Rob?" He wiped at the blood. Finally, the flow was beginning to slow.

"Yeah," A grim smile lit the boy's face in sharp contrast to the previous glare, "We fight until someone shows up to let us out."

Kid Flash threw his hands in the air in exasperation, "Great plan!" he practically shouted. Robin gasped and clapped his hand over the teen's mouth.

"You idiot!" he hissed. They hunkered down behind the boxes hoping that maybe, just maybe the men outside had not heard. But it was not to be.

The door exploded inward in a hail of gunfire. Robin flipped up and onto the top of the boxes. Two bat-a-rangs found their way to his fingers and then straight into the hands of the two leading men. The sound of their guns clattering to the ground was almost drowned out by their screams of pain. He smiled mockingly. Normally there might have been a twinge of sympathy for the lowlifes, but today really sucked. Out of the corner of his eye Robin could see Kid Flash grappling with two men. Even as he watched one of them was sent flying and the other knocked to the ground. Firm in the knowledge that his friend was holding his own Robin turned to the next closest man to himself.

"Hi," He chirped. His sudden cheerfulness seemed to give the man pause so Robin pressed his advantage and delivered a roundhouse kick to the man's head, "and bye!"

Suddenly a large hand grabbed his neck from behind and shoved him, face first into a towering pile of boxes.

"Argh!" The yell ripped from his throat. The man dug one hand into his shoulder and flipped him around so he could see who had captured him. He was huge, bigger than Batman. Maybe even bigger than Superman. Robin felt an instinctive thrill of fear rush through him. A sinister smile pulled at the man's thin lips.

"Well, this has been great," Robin quipped, "Really delightening and all." Brief confusion showed before the man seemed to decide that he didn't care what his captive was babbling away about. Robin worked one of his arms around and started slowly trying to access one of the pouches on his utility belt. The previous week Batman gave him a handheld taser. He could really use that about now.

However, before he could reach the item of his salvation the man pulled back and powered his fist deep into the boy's gut. A bright flash. Agony. Robin's breath rushed from his chest and he suddenly found that he could not reclaim it. Fruitlessly he gasped and choked, his throat working under the man's slowly tightening hand. His fingers scrabbled frantically at the hand, finding and pinching pressure points, but to no avail.

Shapes moved in his darkening vision. Men were laughing.

Very far away he thought he heard someone calling his name but it was too late. The dark closed in and Robin, the Boy Wonder, collapsed fully into the man's hold.

* * *

The minutes from the time Kid Flash disappeared to when Superboy, Aqualad, and Miss Martian finally succeeded in opening the window seemed endless. They were, of course, not. A mere five minutes had passed. But to the distraught teens it seemed as if several agonizing lifetimes had crawled by.

"Let's go," Aqualad snapped as soon as there was a bog enough gap for them to force their bodies through. "Superboy, you stay here. Make sure we can get back out," to his immense relief the clone simply nodded. Good, he was not in the mood to argue.

"Come, Miss M," he growled. The main room of the warehouse was empty of all save the men their team had previously dispatched. But despite the lack of movement in the immediate area the sounds of fighting floated to the sensitive ears of the two heroes.

In no time at all they had crossed the width of the room and were passing through the gaping hole in the wall created by the explosion.

"Miss Martian, can you camouflage yourself and scout ahead?" she nodded.

"Yeah," She closed her eyes and concentrated. After a few seconds the colors from the walls and floor seemed to bleed up her body. He saw her teeth flash in a smile and then she was gone.

_The link is up._ Her voice sounded in his head. Unconsciously, Aqualad nodded.

A few moments passed before she spoke again.

_Kaldur! _The frantic tone sent him barreling down the hallway, regardless of any danger that might be lurking. The sounds of fighting grew closer. Aqualad skidded around a corner, drawing his water bearers in a fluid motion. Electricity crackled along his tattoos.

Dimly Aqualad registered that Kid Flash and Miss Martian were fighting off multiple bad guys each but had eyes only for the scene playng out directly in front of him.

"Robin!" he shouted. The object of their quest was fighting against the giant of a man who had him pinned to a massive stack of boxes. Even as Aqualad ran towards them he could see the fight leave the boy. The gloved hands fell limply to Robin's sides.

"Leave him!" Aqualad slammed a hammer made of water into the hulk's back. Nothing. Not even a stagger. Aqualad felt is eyes widen in shock. The man slowly turned. He lifted Robin a little higher before tossing him to the side. The boy landed like a ragdoll against another stack of boxes. It teetered precariously but held.

_Miss Martian! _ He called mentally, _I could use some help. _

_Already on it. _ Her sweet voice sounded smug. It was not three second before Aqualad found out why. The giant he had been preparing to fight suddenly staggered and collapsed backwards with a crash. Miss Martian floated next to where his head had been with her arm outstretched and a small smile on her face. Aqualad returned the smile before remembering what he had just witnessed.

"Help Kid Flash," he ordered. There were very few bad guys left and those that had not fled were beginning to lose their spirit.

Assured of their victory Aqualad rushed over to the downed bird.

"Robin," he muttered, carefully sliding one hand under the boy's glove to search for a pulse while holding the other over his mouth. A few heart wrenching moments passed before Aqualad felt a thrum beneath his fingers. Soft winds brushes against the others and for the first time since the window slammed shut Aqualad felt himself breath a little easier. Obviously the boy was not well, but he was at least alive. Carefully Aqualad slid his arms under Robin's prone form before standing and cradling the small teen to his chest.

"Heywe'realldo-" Kid Flash rushed up, "Holy-! Isheokay?"

Aqualad could not shrug without displacing Robin so he simply stared. "I – I do not know." He found his eyes drawn to the boy's lax face. "I believe so." His attempt to sound optimistic failed. "We should leave this place." Kid Flash nodded seriously.

"Come on, Miss M," The red-head called. "Let's make sure the way is clear."

* * *

Superboy felt boredom. He was not used to such a feeling. In Cad- In that place the geomorphs were always teaching him something and at Mount Justice the others typically helped him stay entertained. If they were around he worked out in the gym. But now? Now he played the rearguard in a seemingly deserted warehouse. Of course with his super hearing he could tell exactly what was happening. But he tried not to pay too much attention. Miss Martian would contact him if they needed his help. So he tried to focus on the sounds from outside the warehouse, hoping that no people were sneaking up on them from the outside. Not that he didn't think he could take on anyone who challenged him. He was, after all, the clone of _Superman. _ A satisfied smirk covered is face.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Aqualad in his head. He grimaced. It wasn't so bad with his team, their presences were almost… nice. But he still hated the idea of anyone being his head.

_Superboy, get ready. _Aqualad almost sounded out of breath in his mind. Superboy's frown deepened. _We're almost back to you. Is there anyone there? _Suddenly the clone identified the strange tone. The Atlantean was worried about something.

_No. _He was about to ask what had happened (and boy wa she cursing himself for not payin g more attention to his teammates fight) but before he could Kid Flash and Miss Martian burst into the room, followed quickly by Aqualad. Kid flash seemed to be circling Aqualad, protecting him. Miss Martian flew past them all and out the window.

"I'm getting the ship," she whispered as she passed Superboy. He nodded.

"Where's Robin?" He asked. However he required no answer. Rage filled him when he saw the boy curled up in Aqualad's arms. Robin looked so small all of a sudden. Another emotion he was not accustomed to flooded the clone. Worry.

"Let us go." Aqualad leapt up to the window ledge and then he was out of sight. Kid Flash followed, wiping blood from his face as he did so. Superboy shook away his daze and joined his teammates outside the warehouse. What had gone wrong? He wondered absently.

Less than five minutes later the team was ensconced in the Martian bio-ship and soaring away from the site of their first semi-failed mission. Aqualad groaned and rested his head in his hands.

Batman was going to skin him alive.

Strangely, Aqualad found himself more than willing to endure whatever Batman would do to him if only he could be guaranteed that Robin was going to be okay.

**I hope it was worth the wait. R&R**

**The next chapter will be up tomorrow.  
**


	4. Of Bats and Caves Part 1 Section 3

**Woo! I'm totally on time! *dances, receives strange looks, sits down sheepishly* Ahem, anyway... Thi schapter ends the part of the story that focuses on Kaldur. After this will be probably one chapter on M'gann followed by Superboy and finally Wally. I'm still not sure about Artemis, mostly because she's human and so knows the limitations of her own kind (but I might have a little oneshot where it dawns on her how young he is? idk, i'll think about it some more and get back to ya'll). **

**Disclaimer: If I owned them I would have made the Bruce/Dick basketball scene longer (b/c omg, cutest scene ever :) )**

**Part 1.3**

**Chapter Three: What's With These Guys and Caves? **

Batman swept into Mount justice, all cape and fury. Black Canary had made herself scarce hours ago, as soon as she found out Robin was going to be okay. When the teenagers saw their friend's mentor they wondered if maybe the woman had the right idea after all.

"You." Two fingers crooked at Kaldur, ordering him to follow.

"Man, it was nice knowing you," Wally whispered around the tissues stuffed up his nose.

Superboy clapped him on the back as he passed. M'gann hugged him whispering that Batman was just concerned and that he need not worry. Kaldur had to resist the urge to snort. From what he heard Wally was closest to the truth.

Batman led him on a twisting path deep into the mountain. Kaldur could not remember M'gann and Superboy showing them this area when they gave the tour. The ceiling was much lower and the walls much closer to one another than in the other areas of Mount Justice.

_Plink._

Water dripped from stalactites. Aqualad could feel it all around them. He looked around, wide eyed. Tiny sparks of light glinted off crystalline pools where strange beings swam and crawled. He had a sudden memory of his King taking him to the deepest part of the ocean. Kaldur had been young and the strange animals down there still gave him shivers in the night. He wondered if that was why Batman brought him down here. Or maybe it was just that the man was more comfortable in the dark? For there were no lights down here, Kaldur had to strain his powerful Atlantean eyes to see anything. Could the Batman see at all?

The shadow in front of his ceased moving and turned. Kaldur took an involuntary step backwards. Batman's eyes blazed with an unholy light. For all that he knew the man was a hero, one of the greatest, Kaldur could not help but feel the same fear his younger self had felt in the ocean's depths. He wished for his King and the comfort the man brought.

Batman did not move. Kaldur swallowed. He stared at Gotham city's guardian devil. The soulless white eyes stared right back and Kaldur forced himself not to flinch away again. The Bat had every reason to be mad at him.

Finally the silence became too much, even for the patient young man. He forced himself to speak past the lump in his throat.

"Is Robin okay?" Of course Black Canary had said that the boy was fine but he still worried. He would be worried until he could see the boy for himself.

"He has two broken ribs, but yes, he will be fine."

Silence fell upon them after Batman's words.

"I'm sorry." Now Kaldur did flinch. Those were not the words he expected to hear next. Batman continued before he could react further. "I should have confirmed my intel before sending you on that mission."

Kaldur found himself incapable of forming a response. He stared down at his torn fingernails, wishing he had some of the balm from the Sorcerer's Academy in Atlantis to sooth the raw skin. He thought that maybe Batman's eyes flicked down to his hands but it was impossible to tell behind the mask. Water dripped around them and in the distance something splashed.

"That being said, you nearly got a teammate killed. What happened?" Sudden insight told him that this was the voice the criminals of Gotham were so terrified of. Kaldur could not find it in himself to think less of them for it.

Kaldur bowed his head in shame.

"Honestly, sir, I forgot he wasn't as fast as me. In Atlantis I am not considered to be particularly swift."

Batman's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. The egged Kaldur on and though he had thought he was finished he continued.

"We were running for the window and there was an explosion."

" I know," Batman cut him off before he could continue. "Robin told me." The voice lightened somewhat, "He also told me you probably saved his life by sending Kid Flash in as backup."

Batman lay one hand on Kaldur's shoulder.

"You've learned your lesson. Don't let it hinder you ability to lead," here he paused and leaned in, when he spoke again it was in the lowest audible human range, "But if it ever happens again," the smallest of smirks crossed the Batman's face. Kaldur shrank back. "If it ever happens again even Aquaman won't be able to find the body."

"Y-yes, sir." But the shadow was already gone, melting into its brethren. Kaldur was left alone in the dark.

Wally was right, he decided. He was lucky to be alive.

* * *

Laps in the pool were not the same as swimming in the ocean, but he could time himself indoors, so despite his dislike of feeling contained, Kaldur trained in the indoor pool. Currently he was starting in seven hundred and thirty second lap. Black Canary was working with Superboy so M'gann was working on learning to phase through solid objects while Wally and Kaldur did laps in their respective mediums.

At least, Kaldur mused, Batman had made sure the workout pool was salt water. He wasn't sure he could have handled very long in chlorine. It made him feel distinctly unclean. He reached the wall and was just about to dive to flip and turn when he glimped a shape at the edge of the pool. Kaldur stopped and swam to the surface. Robin.

The boy was dressed in baggy workout pants, though he was barefoot, and a tight white t-shirt. Kaldur could see the bandages through the fabric. Once again guilt swept through him. What kind of a leader was he? He didn't even know the limitations of his team, and now one of them was injured because of his…. Incompetence.

"D'ya mind?" Robin asked, gesturing to the water, when Kaldur's head broke the surface.

"No." He felt strangely awkward around the boy. Kaldur watched as Robin eased himself to the ground and rolled up his pant legs. Sighing, the boy eased his feet into the water.

"Not allowed to swim yet," Robin muttered. Kaldur thought that he was frowning behind the habitual sunglasses. "But, I may have worked out earlier. Boy does the water feel good after that." He seemed to sense Kaldur's confusion. "I _might _have slipped out of the infirmary and messed around on one of the balance beams. It's been awhile since I did that so my feet hurt." The boy grinned, "So worth it though."

"Should you," Kaldur swallowed back his nervousness, "Should you have done that? You are, after all, inju-" Robin waved one hand dismissively.

"See, that's why I came down here." He stared off into the distance. "Batman might have mentioned that he talked to you. Well, he didn't mention it so much as look uncomfortable when I mentioned you. It's the little things with him, ya know?" Kaldur didn't know, but he also didn't think Robin expected him to.

"Anyhoo, I figured I should come down and tell you to forget whatever it is he threatened you with."

"I don't understand." Kaldur felt the frown marring his face.

Robin sighed dramatically, "See, every time I get hurt and he's not there he blames whoever was closest to me."

"Robin," Kaldur said slowly, "He is right to blame me. I should have remembered that you are a human and-" A heavy sigh stopped him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm human. So what?" Robin almost snapped, "I am still a hero just like you and you don't need to act any different around me than you do Superboy or M'gann."

Kaldur knew enough to know that any argument on his part would be futile. He treaded water while the boy calmed himself.

"I just came down here to say it's not your fault," Robin finally muttered, "And to thank you for coming back for me. M'gann said you carried me out after that giant-" He rubbed at his throat uncomfortably.

"There is no need," Kaldur tried to reassure the boy but he was already stading and walking away.

"Yeah, Kaldur, there is." He said, and then he was gone. Silently, Kaldur cursed Bats. Why? Why did they insist on having the last word in any conversation?

After a few moments Kaldur sighed and allowed himself to drift to the bottom of the pool. He needed to think and his best thinking took place in the depths of his home.

He thought it was nice of Robin to try and console him, but he would not be forgetting the tone in Batman's voice for a long time. The elder hero was not just being overprotective or overreactive (as Robin might say). Rather he was worried that Kaldur might forget the lesson he had learned; that Robin is very _very_ human and as such he is breakable and limited. He can't run as fast as an Atlantean. That was something that, despite the boy's attempts, Kaldur was not sure he could ever forget. He knew that from here on out it would color his interactions with the youngest member of their team. The desire to protect Robin, he decided, was not just limited to Batman.

**R&R ya'll! M'gann is next and will be up tomorrow evening.**


	5. Ice Cream Cures All Part 2

**Hey ya'll, so a reviewer mentioned, and I just wanted to clear up, the fact that the description says Tim D/Robin instead of Dick G/Robin. I know. I freaked out a little last night. See, when I posted this story it said Dick G/Robin and then last night changed everyone's story to Tim…. The reviewer who mentioned it to me said they had already sent a message to ff so hopefully it will be fixed by the time I post this and this message will be pointless, but, just in case…. **

** Also, on the subject of reviews: One, you guys are awesome! Seriously, I giggle a little every time I log on. Two, if you are signed in and have enabled personal messaging I've been sending you thanks and question answers and whatnot by pm. Should I keep doing that? I honestly don't know where private messages show up. I don't want to be cluttering people's inboxes. Lastly, I wanna thank all those who have been reviewing but aren't signed in or allowing private messaging (I'm not gonna list ya'll because this author's note is long enough, but you guys rock! Thank you sooooo much for the input and comments. It means the world to me! **** ) OH! Yume no Anime? You gave me an epic idea for a story after I finish this one, thanks!**

** So, after that obscenely long note….. The chapter! **

** Disclaimer: No. **

**Part 2**

**Chapter 4:  
**

It seemed strange at first, to Wally at least, that M'gann weight lifted. But then, he supposed Martians were super strong and she did need to enhance that strength. But, even knowing that, he still felt mildly dumbstruck whenever he saw her in the gym laboring under the electronic dumbbells. Respectful of her workout privacy Wally zipped over to the treadmill especially designed to accommodate the intense speeds he and his uncle were capable of. He loved his treadmill. Before the team it was rare that he had the opportunity to clock exactly how fast he could go. Now he could watch as his top speed slowly but surely increased. At first that worried him, after all Uncle Barry wasn't getting faster… But the older speedster had explained that he thought Wally would continue to speed up until he stopped growing. A sort of speedster puberty. He shuddered a little at the thought.

"So not what I wanna be thinking about," Wally muttered to himself. Instead, he decided to focus on his memories of the previous weekend, almost a full week ago. The team had spent Sunday at the beach, just hanging out. Robin taught Superboy how to surf while M'gann built the most amazing sand castles Wally had ever seen. Kaldur and Wally himself raced around the bay. A lazy smile covered his face at the memories.

In fact, Wally was so caught up in his memories (particularly M'gann's new bathing suit) that he did not hear Robin enter the gym. This almost proved to be disastrous.

* * *

M'gann felt her muscles beginning to quiver in exhaustion. Her breath came in heavy pants even as the metal bar of the weight grew slippery in her grasp. Mentally she lowered the weight she was attempting to hold by manipulating a small dial on the consolee ten feet away. The set up was supposed to ensure that no one ever tried to weight train on their own but she was not overly concerned. She never attempted to lift too much. Besides, if she did she could simply levitate the weight away from her body.

She strained a little harder, pushing against the weight. It lifted three more inches. Five were left between her and the point where the weight would lock into place and she could finish her workout. M'gann narrowed her eyes in concentration. She could do this! She gritted her teeth and in one final, massive shove reached her goal.

"Yes!" With little to no thought for who else might be in the gym M'gann shot out from under the bar and did a little dance midair. A soft laugh startled her. She whipped around with a gasp.

"OH! I didn't know anyone else was in here," Her hand rested over her heart. Robin laughed kindly at her embarrassment.

"Happens to me all the time, Miss M." His grin was contagious. She found herself smiling along with him. "Are you done with the machine?"

"Yeah," her water bottle and towel floated through the air to her outstretched hands. "I got a new record!"

"Congrats," He leaned over to set his own water bottle down. M'gann felt her smile slipping away. Her friend was still moving cautiously, as if his chest pained him. She was unfamiliar with the way humans healed but Robin had assured her that he was fine so she did not say anything.

"Would you like me to work the machine?" She tilted her head towards the console. Robin looked up from his preparations.

"That'd be great. You're not too busy? Batman said he'd be down in a few if you don't-"

"No, I'm done for today." She floated over to the console.

"Start off slow, ok?" She nodded. Manipulating the setting down a few levels form where she had been working M'gann waited for him to give the signal.

When she pressed the large red button on the panel the weight would activate and the dumbbell would drop into Robin's support.

Robin stared up at the bar, positioning his hands comfortably. His ribs twinged when he lifted his arms above his head but he forced the pain away. Almost a full week had passed since the warehouse mission. Of course it would still be a while before he was healed but Robin was used to pushing through pain. He was endured small injuries quite frequently and had learned to function as if nothing had happened. So, when Batman cleared him for a full workout today (with the caveat that he not spar with anyone) Robin leapt at the opportunity.

"Ready."

Robin knew as soon as he spoke the word that something was wrong. His gut instinct told him to run but, flat on his back and waiting for the weight to turn on he was unable to do so.

A small green light turned on above him.

The weight released and Robin knew what was wrong. More pounds than any normal thirteen year old could lift came crashing toward his already weakened chest. A shout of terror tore from his throat.

* * *

Across the room Wally was enjoying the final hundred miles of his run. Today he had not attempted to break any personal records, simply to enjoy running. He vaguely registered Robin entering the gym as he was passing mile seventy nine but thought nothing of it. He closed his eyes for the last twenty miles.

Nineteen.

Eighteen.

Seventeen.

Sixt- A shout ripped through the air, startling Wally from his run. His feet stuttered and stopped, sending him flying from the treadmill. He landed on the ground at super speed. As fast as he could recover his feet Wally searched for the sourced of the noise. M'gann stood at the weight console, a stricken look on her face and her arms outstretched but nothing seemed to be threatening her directly. Then what-?

Oh, hell. Robin.

The brief thought that it was _always_ Robin crossed his mind before he dismissed it. He could curse the gods of probability later. Now, now Robin needed his help.

The electronic dumbbell was falling in slow motion. He forced his legs to go faster, move faster.

Something black streaked past his face. The shock forced Wally to skid to a stop and watch in awe. It was a bat-a-rang.

The curved metal object shot through the air and lodged jest below the falling dumbbell. Rapidly three others joined it, halting the falling weight with frightening accuracy. The eyes of all three teenaged heroes turned to the entry of the gym. Batman stood motionless, his shoulders heaving in half concealed exertion.

M'gann was the first to move. She flew to Robin's side babbling at speeds that made Wally vaguely proud.

"Robin! Oh my – I'm so sorry. What happened? Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

Robin chuckled breathlessly, "I'm fine, M'gann. A little help?" For the first time Wally noticed how close the bar had come to crushing the Boy Wonder's chest. A few spare inches were all that stood between him and the Reaper's clutches. Wally swallowed and turned his head away. Losing Robin…. The very idea made him feel vaguely sick.

Having turned away from Robin Wally had a very good view of the look on Batman's face. It was indescribable; a strange mix of agony, fear, and fury all coalesced into one emotion packed expression that only an emotionally stunted Bat could rightfully pull off. Wally quickly averted his eyes. It seemed wrong to witness.

Seeing as Batman appeared frozen in place and M'gann was too flustered to do anything, Wally walked forward and slid his hands under the thirteen year old's back.

"You okay, man?" he muttered. Robin nodded.

"Yeah, I'm really fine, Wally," the boy flashed a grin up at him. "I just need some help out from under here."

M'gann still did not understand what had happened. She stared back and forth between where Wally was helping Robin slide across the bench to where Batman stood. Suddenly the Dark Knight stalked over to the controls. He glared down at them and then up at her.

"May I ask WHY you felt the need to crush your teammate?" Batman snarled.

"W-what?" M'gann covered her mouth in horror. "I would never-"

"And yet you did." Batman's finger jabbed viciously at the weight settings on the machine. Robin and Wally joined them.

"Holy-!" Wally exclaimed when he saw the selected weight, "Three hundred pounds?"

Robin's eyes widened.

"I still don't understand," M'gann whispered.

"Martians are stronger than humans, Miss M." Wally muttered. "We," he gestured to himself and Robin, "We can't lift nearly that much. Well, maybe Batman can…."

Batman did not respond yay or nay but there was a distinctively agreeing air about him.

"I'm so sorry Robin!" she breathed, "I had no idea. I lowered it from mine because you were injured but I could have-" She broke off midsentence, unable to say that she could have killed her friend. The thought was too horrible to bear.

"I'm sorry." Robin stepped forward and lay one hand on her arm.

"It's okay, M'gann. Like you said, you didn't know. Now you do." He smiled up at her.

"M'gann, you will read up on the strengths and limitations of all the species you currently interact with. Black Canary will know to expect a written paper from you in two days. _I _will be reading it." Batman practically hissed. "Robin, let's go."

The boy grinned at his teammates, "See you guys later! And, M'gann, it really is okay. I'll help you on the paper tomorrow." Then he was gone, disappearing out the door behind his mentor.

"Come on; let's go get some ice cream." M'gann stared at Wally.

"How can you think of eating when I just nearly killed your best friend?"

He smiled, "Because one, I can always think of food. Two, Earth lesson number one: Ice Cream solves all problems. It's a rule we humans live by." He slung one arms across the distraught girl's shoulders.

**Hey, I didn't want to add this to the a/n but, one of the reviewers recommended "The Question Game" by Santana2 if you wanted a longer basketball scene. I read it and am totally passing on their recommendation. It is an adorable father/son bonding fic. **


	6. A Detention of the Mind Part 3

**So, you'd think Spring Break would mean lots of writing, right? Crazily, no. Seeing friends I haven't seen in far too long, hanging out with the family, and being roped into gardening with my mother (plus a healthy dose of writer's block) means that this chapter took way too long to write to my satisfaction. I'm so sorry for the wait.**

**Once again thank you so much for the reviews guys, ya'll make my day/week/month/life every time. Hope this chapter lives up to the expectations.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned them the romance would not be so heavy handed and Superman would have manned up by now. But, the romance IS heavy handed and Supes is still acting like the sleazy boyfriend who won't pay child support, ergo…..**

**Part 3**

**Chapter 5: Left Behind, a Detention of the Mind (AKA: The Unnecessarily Angsty Title)**

True geomorphs are not capable of feeling fear. They have no need of it and indeed it would be a weakness in their programming if they were to shy away from an assigned task due to some misplaced emotion. Superboy was not a true geomorph. He had not been created entirely from scratch. Or rather he had, but not from synthesized DNA like the others. His base structure was superman's DNA. As such his brain had not been created in a computer with ones and zeroes like the others. So, where they were incapable of feeling fear, he had simply never had a reason to do so.

* * *

"Hey, man," Robin walked into the common room of mount justice. Superboy grunted a greeting from his position in the largest armchair. A smile crossed Robin's face. The clone really was nothing like anyone he had ever met. Not many people in the world could express the range of responses the alien could in a grunt. Well, Batman could, but the mere fact that Superboy was in the same league as Batman... Robin was impressed to say the least.

"So, whatcha watching?" Robin threw himself onto the couch, carefully hiding the wince when his ribs twinged. They were to the point that he forgot about them when completing normal actions. So he kept accidentally doing things that resulted in short stabbing pain.

"I don't know," Superboy sounded genuinely confused so Robin reached over and snatched the remote. Clicking the info button he started to laugh.

"Supey, Jersey Shore is not something you should EVER watch, 'kay?" He quickly called up the guide and began to look for more appropriate programming. After all, Superboy was still learning about the world he found himself in. Robin shuddered a little at the thought of a metahuman of Superboy's level whose only exposure to normal society was through drunken reality TV. It would not be pretty.

"You're what, five months old?" Robin smirked, "This is much more age appropriate." Disney's Fox and the Hound had just come on.

"What is this?" Superboy's head cocked to the side curiously.

"This, my undereducated friend, is a classic tale of friendship and-"

"Dude! Is that Fox and the Hound? I love that movie!" Wally appeared on the floor in front of the TV in the blink of an eye. Robin giggled. His best friend could be such a child.

A few moments later M'gann floated in and settled on the couch next to Robin. Kaldur settled in the other armchair silently. The team watched in silence as the baby fox was found and brought in by the kind old woman. M'gann giggled and gasped in all the right places while Kaldur smiled softly at the screen. Superboy just sat with the same implacable expression as always. Robin, however, could tell that the clone was enjoying the film. He had leaned forward in the seat worriedly when the old man chased Todd the first time.

By the time the old woman was abandoning Todd in the forest M'gann was invested enough to sniffle in sadness and Wally had scooted to be leaning against the couch next to Robin. The younger boy saw his friend surreptitiously wipe at his eyes. Robin grinned. Wally would hate him if he said anything, so he wisely kept his mouth closed.

Batman entered the common room during the last minutes of the movie. Robin noticed his entrance immediately, accustomed as he was to the nearly silent tread of the Dark Knight. He shifted to stand but the slight narrowing of his mentor's eyes told him he was allowed to finish the movie. So he watched as Copper stood over his friend to save him from the old man. All around him his friends stared at the screen engrossed until, finally the end credits rolled.

"So, Supey, much better than what you were watching before, right?"

Superboy nodded absently. A small frown creased his forehead as he thought about the events of the movie.

"Robin," Batman's voice startled the four who had not realized he stood behind them.

"Geez," Wally snapped, "I hate it when you guys do that!" The low level glare Batman leveled at him shut the boy up.

"I need to speak with Robin alone," Batman ignored the look on Wally's face in favor of returning to the reason he was standing in the common room.

"Of course," Kaldur and M'gann were more than ready to leave the room. Neither was quite ready to face even an annoyed Batman after the events of the last fortnight. Superboy was slower to rise but eventually he, too, left the room. They were followed by Wally, who had lingered to silently ask Robin if everything was alright. The quirk of the boy's lips and a small shrug told him things were great and to leave before Batman got really annoyed. He thought. It could also have meant, mind your own business, Kid. Sometimes he got those two mixed up.

"What's up? Are you ready to go back to Gotham?" Robin asked, turning to this mentor.

Batman knew that what he was about tell Robin would undoubtedly make the boy angry, but it really could not be avoided, he just hoped Robin could understand. He took a deep breath and began to explain, mindful of super-hearing.

Sitting at the kitchen counter Superboy could not help but hear the Dark Knight's conversation with his squire. He tried to focus on what the teammates actually in the kitchen were saying but that became nearly impossible when Robin's voice took on a furious edge. He tiled his head toward the common room to hear better. To hell with good manners.

"What do you mean, I can't come?" Robin hissed. Superboy could almost imagine the furious stance the boy would strike. Arms crossed and feet in fighting position. The mask would narrow with his ire.

"Exactly what I said, Robin. The men I," there was significant stress on the word and Superboy understood that Batman meant his secret identity 'I', "will be meeting with do not like children."

"I am not a child!" A few second of silence followed Robin's outburst.

"You are a child, my child," it didn't sound endearing when Batman said it like that, "and as such you will do as I say. Now, I am saying that you will stay at Mount Justice for however long this takes me to complete. If it runs longer than a week Agent A will send the Batwing to bring you back to Gotham so you may attend school next Monday." His tone was not one that any normal person would argue with. Of course, Robin was anything but normal.

"It's not fair," a sound that might have been a stamped foot emphasize his words. "I can help, Batman, you know I can."

"I don't care if it's fair. You are staying here and that's final." The soft rustle of gloved hands on a kevlar cape. Batman had placed his hand on Robin's shoulder, "I'm sorry, chum. You know I'd rather you were with me than them but I need you to stay behind this time." Imperceptible footfalls that told him Batman was moving towards the entrance, "I'll see you in a week."

"Yeah, see ya." The Boy Wonder grumbled. The footsteps turned toward the kitchen. Superboy made sure to look like he had been paying attention of the conversation around him.

"What do you think, Superboy?" M'gann turned to him and smiled and suddenly he wished that he _had_ actually paid attention. He hated disappointing M'gann. Though he was still unsure why disappointing her bothered him so much more than disappointing any of the others. But that was a problem for another day, right now he needed to figure out what he was supposed to be having an opinion about.

"Uhh-" There, saved by the tiny kid in the cape, "Hey, Robin, what did Batman want?"

The look the boy shot him said he knew that Superboy already knew and that he was being used, but Robin said nothing to that effect. Instead, he simply shrugged, "Bats is gonna be out of town for a few days so I get to stay and hang out with you guys."

Superboy marveled at the boy's ability to hide how he really felt even as he wondered why robin bothered. Batman had just dismissed his abilities (and those of the team not that he thought about it) and yet Robin had not responded beyond a few halfhearted arguments.

Te rest of the team did not seem to sense the tension in their youngest member. They took what the boy said in stride and move d on. M'gann placed an extra hamburger on the grill (adding to the fifteen that were already there). Kaldur pulled a stool out for Robin, and Wally instantly began lamenting the fact that he had to attend school.

"Man, why couldn't Batman leave you here last week?" he griped. Robin snorted but Superboy thought he might be the only one who notice dhow bitter it was.

The rest of the evening passed fairly unremarkably. They ate dinner. Robin and Wally trained for a bit in the gym and they went to bed. Only Superboy did not attempt to sleep. He stayed in the kitchen, enjoying the silence of the mountain at night.

* * *

_Bruce glared at him. The Batglare. Never before had that particular glare been directed at him. Mildly annoyed glare. Incensed glare. Disgruntled glare. Gruntled glare. Happy glare. He had seen them all. Half of them made him laugh. The last even conveyed affection, despite what others might think. _

_But the Batglare? That one had never been directed at him. He shied away from the sheer fury emanating from his mentor._

"_Batman?" He whispered. "Batman what's-"_

_A hand as large as his face flew towards him, wrapping around his upper arm. The grip tightened painfully._

"_Ow!" Dick cried. He pulled futilely at the iron grip, "Lemme go! Bruce!" In his confusion he boy accidentally said Bruce's real name, but there was no one around to hear him._

_Batman dragged him across the rooftop roughly, jerking him violently if Dick slowed down. _

"_You got him?" The gravelly voice of Commissioner Gordon sounded form his left. Dick gasped and tried to turn but the hand stopped him. He was getting scared._

"_Obviously," Batman snarled. Dick thought he heard a snort from Gordon but it was hard to tell over the whipping winds._

_A faint click. Gordon must be lighting a cigarette. He normally refused to smoke around Robin, saying that children should not be exposed to the dangers of second hand smoke. _

"_Are you sure about this?" Gordon finally spoke. _

"_Of course I am," the deep growl of the Dark Knight normally filled Dick with pride in his guardian, but now… now there was only fear. What was happening? Why didn't he remember anything before this? His free arm wrapped itself around his stomach._

"_The boy is a liability. I never should have taken him in." Dick whipped his head around to face Batman. What? What was Bruce saying? A liability?_

_A brief silence passed between the Dark Knight and the Comissioner. Finally the Comissioner broke it._

"_Well, me and the boy's always knew he was holding you back. Sense of duty made you keep him this long, eh?"_

"_Guilt. Kid got his parents killed; I wasn't there to stop it. But, I finally understand that his mistakes aren't my fault." Air rushed from Dick's lungs. His knees felt weak. Why was Bruce saying these things? He had always assured Dick that his parent's death could not have been prevented. That it was no one's fault but the man who sabotaged their ropes. He struggled to breathe. _

"_I hear ya." Gordon sounded satisfied. "I'll take him down to the JDC. Doubt any families will want him, but the boys there always have room for more."_

_JDC._

_Juvenile Detention Center._

_What little air Dick had managed to recover left him. He could no longer support his weight but when he collapsed to his knees Batman simply jerked him back upright. His shoulder began to ache from supporting all his weight but he took no notice. His entire being was focused on Gordon's words._

_When his parents died and his relatives refused to take him in Dick was taken to the JDC where he spent the week preceding their funerals. The memory of those seven days still gave him nightmares. They feeling of utter abandonment….he had never been so alone. It wasn't that the kids who actually deserved to be there were so bad. When they found out why he was there some of them actually tried to help Dick. It was just knowing that he was only there because his relatives did not love him and because his parents had- _

_A choked sob escaped the boy._

"_Please, Batman," he pleaded, "I don't know what I did but I swear- I'll- I'll never do it again. I can be better, I will be better! Please, please don't get rid of me!"_

_The Batglare never wavered and Dick felt the tears begin to slide down his cheeks past the mask._

"_Please," he whispered. _

"_Cuff him," the Demon of Gotham's voice was emotionless, dead. "I don't need you, Robin."_

_

* * *

_

Robin woke up to a damp pillow. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to clear the rest of the tears away, but he found that they were only replaced by new ones. The dream had been so real. He could still remember the feel of the crushing grip on his arm and hear the whip of the Batman's cape in the wind. Carefully the boy ran one hand of his arm, no tenderness; it really had been only a dream.

"A dream," he muttered, then, snorted, "More like a damn nightmare." Instinctively the boy flinched, waiting for the light rebuke for his language, but it never came. Alfred wasn't here to comfort him after his dream. Bruce wasn't waiting beside his bed, ready to talk about it and hold him till he once again drifted off. They were both in London without him. He was alone. Dick shuddered. He really did not want to be alone after what he had just endured.

Shaking slightly, the Boy Wonder crawled from beneath his covers. They fell back exposing the lithe body of a teen who worked out far more than his peers. Dick slept in only a pair of baggy night pants so he reached out, groping half blindly for the t-shirt he kept next to the bed. Aha! He pulled the white workout top over his chest and stood up fully. Snatching his glasses from the nightstand Dick crossed the immaculately clean room and, after palming the controls, stepped out into the hallway.

Alfred always made him warm milk after a hard case or particularly nasty nightmare. It wasn't really the milk that chased away the last vestiges of the demons that haunted his sleep, but the presence of the kindly old butler. However, right now Dick wanted all the comfort he could get. If he could not be at home in the Manor, sitting in the kitchen listening to Alfred tell storied of his time overseas then he would at least have the same drink.

When he reached the kitchen Robin was mildly surprised to see Superboy sitting at the counter.

"What are you doing up?" he grumbled. HE had really been looking forward to some alone time to sort through the old fears that the nightmare had dredged up. It had been a long time since he worried that Bruce might send him back. Why now?

"It's quiet at night," The clone answered, interrupting his thoughts, "Sometimes when everyone is awake and moving, I get-" He gestured helplessly to his head.

"Headaches," Robin supplied, "They're called headaches. Superman gets them too. I think he goes into space when he needs quiet, but I guess…."

"I can't do that," for once Superboy was not bitter. He had learned that Superman's powers developed slowly. First he could leap higher than any normal human, then, slowly, he learned to fly. In this one instance, Superboy thought he could be patient.

"Yeah. Sorry." Superboy shrugged.

"He couldn't fly when he was my age either." Robin nodded absently. He moved across the kitchen grabbing seemingly unrelated items from shelves as he went. Cinnamon, a pot, two mugs. He opened the fridge and pulled the milk out of its cubby.

"What are you making?" To his amazement Robin started, as if he had forgotten Superboy was there. The clone's eyes narrowed. He listened for the first time since Robin appeared.

"You are afraid." He accused suddenly, "Why?"

"What?" Robin bit out, "Why would you think that?" The defensive posture and narrowed eyes said danger but suddenly all Superboy could see was the fox, Todd, from the movie, right after he had been left in the woods. It was in the slumped shoulders and the almost desperate aura permeating the area around the boy.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I've never been afraid of anything before. But Cad- they taught me about it. They taught me that your pupils dilate-"

"Because you can totally see that past the sunglasses." Robin sniped. He kept going.

"Your breathing speeds up," he heard Robin make the conscious effort to slow his rapid breaths down. "And your heart races." There was nothing the boy could do about that.

"Fine!" The boy threw his hands in the air and started pacing around the island. "I had a freaking nightmare, okay? You happy?" He spun away from Superboy and turned the oven on in a vicious twist of the wrist. A few moments later he had the milk in the pot with the cinnamon. The pacing resumed.

"What are you making?" Superboy asked. The random question seemed to break Robin free of his fury.

"Warm milk," he muttered, moving over to stir the concoction. "A friend makes it for me when I can't sleep." He stuck a finger in the milk and nodded minutely. It was done. Two carefully poured mugs later he sat down at the island. Superboy looked carefully at the mug Robin placed before him.

"It's good," he muttered after taking a sip. Surprisingly he felt the tensions of the day melting away as he drank. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the slight relaxation that caused Robin's shoulders to drop a few inches. He had not even realized they were tense until that moment.

"M'gann," he swallowed and started again, "M'gann says humans like to talk about what troubles them."

Robin considered sniping about how the _Martian_ would know that but found he just did not have the motivation to be properly nasty. Besides, the thought of what Superboy might do if he insulted the girl…. It was enough to give even the protégé of Batman pause.

"I had a dream that Batman didn't want me anymore," he admitted grudgingly. He could blame the hot milk, he decided. Alfred always used to say it could loosen even the tightest tongue. "He was going to send me back to… well he was just going to send me back. It scared me."

Super tried to understand, he really did. But you cannot understand what you have never felt and he had never before experience fear. So, instead of murmuring comforting platitudes or reassuring Robin that of course Batman wasn't going to toss him aside, Superboy reacted in exactly the wrong way.

He snorted.

Robin's eyes widened in shock.

"That's a dumb thing to be afraid of," he said. He did not mean it to be so cruel sounding but, despite Cadmus' teachings, Superboy did not truly understand the effect fear could have on a human mind.

"Gee, thanks," the kid muttered, "So glad I shared with you." It was only then that Superboy realized his mistake.

He quickly tried to recover and explain what he meant.

"I mean it's stupid to be afraid in general," he tried. Robin stood and snatched the half empty cup from Superboy's lax grip.

"Again, thanks," the tone was now glacial. "I'll tell that to every human I meet from now on. 'oh, don't worry! It's stupid to be afraid! Even though it's, you know, genetically encoded into you. Just completely ignore the fact that you can't control it.' Night, Superboy." He stalked from the room leaving Superboy confused and lost in the kitchen.

What had he said?

He wished humans were as easy to understand as Foxes.

**A/N: Yeah, that's it. Superboy's issue with fear won't get resolved until the final Part (Part 5 or 6 depending on if I bring Artemis in). Don't worry though, he'll get what's coming to him for being so callous. *evil smile* Wally is up next.**

**A/N: No offense to anyone who watches and enjoys Jersey Shore, I'm not into reality TV so I've never seen an episode, I'm just going off Reality TV stereotypes when I say stuff. You could probably sub in just about any Reality show….**

**A/N: Oh, and about Gotham, Bruce Wayne would leave her along in the early days when he had business out of the country. Of course, nowadays he trusts Dick or Helena or Tim or any of the other Batclan peeps to take care of it. A week might be stretching the time he would be willing to be gone but (as you'll see later) his mission is of vital importance to both Bruce Wayne and Batman.**


	7. Ahhh! They are people! Part 4 Section 1

**So, random little interlude here….But it's kind of necessary. Don't worry the next chapter is in editing so it will be up mas rapido. **

**To all those unfamiliar with the Bat-canon (those familiar might wanna read just to make sure we're on the same page, there are, after all, so many bat-canons):**

**Jervis Tetch is the Mad Hatter, an Alice in Wonderland themed villain (notable accomplices are Dweedle Dee and Dweedle Dum). Edward Nygma is the Riddler, a brilliant man who has an intense love for word play/games. His crimes are often oriented around a single riddle (or series of them) that once figured out reveal the master plan. Selina Kyle is Catwoman, the sometimes fling of Batman's both in and out of the costumes. Oswald Cobblepot is the Penguin and small, strange little man with the same affinity for birds that Selina has with cats. His trick umbrella can be quite dangerous (it has a gun, poison darts, and razors to name a few items). Harvey Dent and Two-Face are two sides of the same coin, Harvey was a prosecutor until a witness on the stand threw acid on half his face, scarring him and breaking his mind in two. Harvey is not evil, but Two-Face is and can often convince Harvey to do evil things. Jonathon Crane (Scarecrow) was once the head psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum he was ousted after it was discovered that he was doing experiments on his patients. Harley Quinn is the Joker's long time love interest. She was his main counselor when he first got sent to Arkham and he slowly drove her insane. She is very violent and would do anything to protect her love. Pamela Isley as Poison Ivy, Pamela is the ultimate Tree Hugger. She wants to wipe the earth clean of the taint of humans and allow plants to take back over. Basil Karlo is a washed up actor who takes an experimental drug trial after getting in a car crash (it's supposed to restore his good looks). It turns him into Clayface.**

**Disclaimer: Still no.**

Part 4

Chapter 6: In Which the Rogues are Uncomfortably Human

Jervis sighed and stared out at the room. The rabbits were running late again. The thought made him smile. His rabbits were always late, the poor little hoppers. Reaching up to remove his signature hat, he prepared himself for the upcoming meeting. These days were both to be looked forward to and dreaded. The Family was so strange; one never knew if they were getting the affectionate friends or the murderous rivals.

"When one does not know what it is, then it is something; but when one knows what it is, then it is nothing." A dry voice intoned from the entrance. Jervis grinned. His favorite rabbit had arrived.

"Why it's you, the Riddle, of course. Yet still we must wait for our fourths." Ed sat gracefully in the seat across from Jervis. A gleeful grin crossed his face.

"How are you, Jervy?" Unlike most of the members of their little family Edward Nygma was totally sane, he just happened to have a predilection for word puzzles. At times Jervis wished he was able to speak so normally without intense effort. These meetings were about the only times he ever made that effort.

"Fine," Jervis smiled back, "and you, Ed?"

"I can't complain." Ed threw his head back, "Oh, and it's not fourths. It's fifths. Harvey _and_ Two-Face are dropping by."

"Two-Face's back?"

"Oh, yes. Harvey, after all would not be himself without himselves." They shared a giggle at the wordplay.

"Like two canaries tittering away," the sensuous voice of Selina Kyle wrapped around the room, preceding her entrance. Jervis and Ed did not bother to avert their eyes from her revealing dress. Selina liked to be viewed and was not (currently) attached to the Bat so they had no fear in doing so. Now, Harley, on the other hand…. Well that was one rabbit who he would never be appreciating, Jervis decided. Joker was just mad enough to kill one of their little family over something like that.

"Evening, Selina," Ed vacated his chair and gestured to it. Selina was a lady, after all.

"Evening gentlemen," She smirked at them, "What, may I ask, was so funny?"

"He who lives without a body, hears without ears, speaks without a mouth, to which the air alone gives birth."

"Ah, our living echo-man." She whispered, petting the black cat that had followed her into the room. The white one twined around Jervis' feet, mewing to be petted. He complied. Her constant companions had long since been accepted among the rest of them. "Harvey did tell me they would be stopping by." She flicked a finger, puffing some fur into the air, "Poor Nox is shedding." A small, pregnant pause, then, "Now, I must know. Have either of you had any action?"

They exchanged unsure glances and she threw her head back to laugh.

"Not like that! Men!" She chuckled, "I meant have you been able to avoid the flying rats and get any work done?"

Jervis felt his heart rate go back to normal. While it was true that he had started seeing a lovely girl with a Shakespeare…thing, he had no desire to share the sordid details of his love life with the people he considered siblings.

"I'm afraid I just haven't had the motivation," was all he said.

Ed smiled. "I just rejoined the world yesterday," he explained, "Jeramiah was reluctant to let me leave."

Selina nodded languidly, "I know the feeling, Jervis. Ever since he stopped stopping me on rooftops…" They blanched, hoping she wouldn't go on. While everyone knew she and their most hated enemy had a strange (and in their eyes disgusting) relationship, hearing about the Bat like that was just wrong. However Selina simply smirked again and sat in silence.

After a few moments her nose twitched, "Bird Boy is here." She said.

Sure enough, not thirty seconds later her cats got up and ran to greet the ostrich who followed the Penguin everywhere. Selina smile at them indulgently, liking one or two birds was alright with her (after all she did like Oswald and there was a certain fondness for the red breasted boy wonder in her heart) so long as they didn't make a habit of it.

"Oh, you brought Nox and Lumiere!" Oswald Cobblepot (Ozy to his friends) crowed happily. After all, if she could like his ostrich then he certainly could like a few of her cats. He crouched to pet the purring felines while Selina rose to scratch the large bird's head.

"Hello, gorgeous," she purred, "You look wonderful. You too, of course, Ozy." His crooked teeth flashed in a smile, as he preened at her complement.

"And you, Sel," his voice seemed grating normally but, here, in their safe place, it was almost soothing to their ears. One more of their little family was in place.

"Jervy, Ed," Ozy nodded happily towards them.

"Ah, I hope we're not too late?" Harvey Dent always spoke in plurals but just then he was referring to more than one body entering the room, for behind him stood Jonathon Crane.

"Harv, Johnny!" Ozy crowed. Ed waved his cane and Jervis tipped his hat, "and Two-Face?"

Harvey nodded, "We're here." For once both sides of his face were in agreement as to their emotion as a large grin suffused the scarred visage.

"I'm afraid I got stuck in traffic," ever polite Jonathon attempted to explain away his tardiness but the rest dismissed it.

"Nonsense," Selina laughed, "Why, most of us just arrived ourselves."

Jonathon smiled shyly. Selina scooted over and motioned for him to sit next to her. He complied and immediately began to pet the cat who jumped into his lap.

"Hello, Nox," he whispered. The cat mewed back. Jonathon felt the smile grow.

"Tea anyone?" Jervis asked.

"Me, and me." Harvey and Two-Face nodded, "two lumps and black if you please."

"None for me darling," Selina patted her stomach, "I had a date earlier and I'm still rather full."

"Five lumps," Ed answered. He had pulled a crossword puzzle from his bag, "10 letter word for lonely."

"Dejections, and no thanks," Ozy answered. Ed tipped an imaginary hat and filled in the answer.

"How about you, Johnny? Any tea? I hear it does wonders to calm your nerves." Jonathon shook his head rapidly.

"No, no thank you," He crouched closer to the cat, hoping to sink into the floor. The whole super-villain scene was a fairly recent development for him. Of course, before last year he did have his little experiments on the inmates of his asylum. A frown twisted his fair face at the thought of his asylum. How could that – that flying rodent take his beautiful asylum away from him? What right did he have? Wasn't the Batman just as big a criminal as him? He was trying to help the world, trying to understand the way the minds of the crazies. That was helping the world. Not hurting. Batman and the cops just couldn't understand that.

"Jonathon, you're hyperventilating," Selina's breath caressed his ear. Jonathon turned his face to her. She didn't move back and he found that his nose almost brushed hers. A slightly feral smile crossed the woman's face. Jonathon swallowed heavily. His breath stopped in his chest.

"Now, that's no good either." The woman backed up slightly and Jonathon found he could breathe again. "Can we please get back to business? There happens to be a small jeweled caracal that I have an appointment with. My window of opportunity closes in," she checked the slim silver watch Ed gave her last Christmas, "an hour and a half."

Properly brought to order the Gotham City Rogues got down to the business that brought them together in the first place. As always their first order of business was a moment of silence for their incarcerated fellows. First and foremost was, of course, the Joker. However, if one were to ask any of the rogues present they would not say that they missed the most famous of their number most. That answer would differ depending on who you were asking. Jonathon would say that he missed Victor. The serene older man always had a kind word and bit of advice for the up and comer. Selina would say that, while it was nice to have the men to herself, she missed girl's night out with Harley and Pamela. Ed pined for Pamela after they had a fling last summer. Harvey and Two-Face seemed content no matter who was in or out at any given time, after all, they were never alone.

The rest of the evening passed enjoyably. Selina left after thirty minutes. A quick kiss on the cheek had Jonathon blushing violently for another hour. After she left the conversation briefly turned to a rather morbid discussion of her affair with Batman; Jonathon shivered in disgust at the very thought.

Then, slowly (and regretfully) the rest of them filtered out until it was only Jonathon and Ed left on the sofas. Jon had not wanted to offend anyone by leaving early but Ed, well, Ed had plans. He always had plans.

"So, my boy," he smiled gleefully at Jonathon as soon as the faint click of Harvey's cane faded from audio range. "We have business to attend to you and I."

"We do?" His voice did NOT just tremble. Jonathon really hoped that Ed did not notice, but of course the older man did.

"Aw, don't be scared, Scarecrow." The smile widened.

Jonathon scowled, "I thought Joker was supposed to be the smiley one," he snapped.

Ed just laughed. "See? I knew you had a backbone in there somewhere. We just need to prove it to the rest of our little friends. I like you, Johnny. I really do. But you haven't done anything big. Or at least, nothing nearly big enough to really hang out with the likes of us."

"Well, I'm sor-" Ed cut off his sarcastic apology before it was even fully formed.

"No need to apologize, kid. I have a plan to fix it all right up. See, I've figured out a puzzle." He leaned in closer and gestured for Jonathon to do the same.

"But we're alone?" Against his will Jonathon found his voice lowering to a whisper. Ed reached up and grabbed his collar, yanking him close.

"Aren't you going to ask what puzzle I solved?" Ed finally hissed.

"Uh…. What did you fig-" Once again he was not allowed to finish his thought.

"I know where the Batman isn't!" Ed exclaimed triumphantly.

Jonathon straightened right back up. Maybe Ed wasn't as sane as he had everyone convinced he was.

"Congratulations, Edward," he snapped. "I'm going home."

A vise like grip closed on his wrist. Jonathon felt the first thrill of true fear race through his veins.

"Let me go," he murmured.

Ed recognized the dangerous edge to Jonathon's voice. The mild mannered doctor was a madman. It was hard to remember that sometimes. He dropped the kid's wrist and backed up. Jonathon snatched up his overcoat and turned to go.

"Listen, kid, I just got out of your little estate last week. I might have talked to Basil before I left. He was brought in the day I escaped. He told me about a little encounter in a warehouse with a bunch of kids. Our little bird boy was with them."

Jonathon turned to face Ed fully.

"Basil told me that after he beat the kiddos unconscious who should show up but our favorite flying fiend, the Batman."

"So you've successfully proved that Batman will protect Robin. We already knew that."

Ed sighed deeply, "The puzzle isn't that hard, kid. The last three nights the only caped crusader in town has been the bird. No Bat to be found. I say that you hit these kids and hit them good while Batsy is bye bye."

Jonathon considered his compatriot's words carefully, "He could just be letting the boy have a little reign." He finally decided.

Ed pouted. "There is that. Which is why I'm going to lure him and his little playmates out tomorrow night. I'll beat them and if not Bat then you are free to finish the job."

"If you have the beat why would you let them go?" His ever logical mind could not seem to compute Ed's plans.

"Because, the bird is not nearly as fun as the Bat," Ed sighed, "As disturbing as her reasons are, Selina is right. Everything is so much more fun when Bats is around. I feel like I have to hold back on my games with everyone else. So, really I don't care about beating the kids, everyone's already scared of me. You, on the other hand…."

Jonathon glared. "Fine, I'll do it," he spat. "Just contact me when you know Batman is out of the picture." With that he pulled his coat on and finally left.

Ed leaned back in the plush sofa and smiled. What he said was true, in the strictest sense. Things were less fun with no Batman. But the boy showed promise. He was young and smart and maybe one day he could be as great as his mentor. Ed thought he might like that. It was after all, boring to be the greatest mind on earth.

This would be a test of the boy. No riddles, no games, just seeing how he performed under pressure and without tall, dark, and gloomy's protection.

Well, maybe a few riddles.

This was gonna be fun.

**The next part is all done and will actually have everyone, I just thought it might be nice to see the people behind what's about to happen. To be honest though, I really debated about posting this chapter. If ya'll like it I have an idea for one more similar to this before the final chapter, but if not then (obviously) I won't post that one. Thanks!**


	8. Best Friends and Uncles Part 4 Section 2

**A/N: Haha, ummm... yeah. Would it help to say I had the worst case of writer's block ever? No? Damn. I'm so sorry guys. It was just one of those "I know exactly how this should go, I know where the plot is going, why isn't it working?" kind of things. Hopefully we are back on track and the rest will work so I can get this to ya'll in a timely manner.**

**Chapter 7: You know they're your best friend when you want to kill them, but don't.**

"Are you sure about this?" Gordon pulled a cigarette from the box in his pocket, but did not light it. Instead he rolled it back and forth between his fingers and repeatedly placed it between his lips before removing it again with an aggravated huff. His eyes darted over to the slim shadow who had yet to answer him. "Well?" The query came out harsher than he intended it to but he did not apologize. The boy dealt with far worse from his mentor.

Finally the lad spoke, "No," the quick flash of teeth did nothing to reassure Gordon. "But we really don't have another option do we?"

"Batman said-" A harsh snort interrupted him.

"Commissioner, do you really want the Big Blue Boy-scout and pals stomping around the city and scaring the bad guys into hiding? Superman's not exactly known for his subtlety, if you know what I mean. Besides, we don't even know for sure that this is the Riddler…."

It was Gordon's turn to snort but the boy was not done speaking. The sheer loquaciousness of the ever stoic Batman's partner was something Gordon was still not quite used to even after four years of working with the duo.

"Yeah, I know the green paper and the poem and everything looks like him, but pretty much everyone knows all that now because of that stupid reporter, but-"

Gordon smiled. He was a detective, one of the best, but he was pretty sure it would be obvious to anyone that Robin was jealous of Vicki Vale. He had seen the same thing in his own Barbara back when he started dating again. Kids did not like to see their parents attention divided. While he was not sure that Batman was Robin's dad the boy obviously felt the same selfish protectiveness that Barbara did. Gordon thought it was exceedingly cute (though he would never vocalize the thought, the kid, after all, had been trained by Batman.)

Robin huffed, "Anyway…I can do this, Commissioner."

Gordon wanted to argue. He knew that Batman would be beyond furious if (when) he found out. But something in the boy's voice had him nodding.

"Yes!" For the first time in their conversation Robin left the shadows, half bouncing across the rooftop to Gordon. He held out a gloved hand expectantly.

Despite the commissioner's decision to allow the boy to take the case Gordon still hesitated before handing the slip of paper over. Once Robin grabbed it he turned to scan the city.

"I've already had the ink and paper analyzed by-" But the Boy Wonder was already gone. Gordon grinned. Like father, like son.

Twenty rooftops and five minutes away Robin perched atop Wayne Tower. He supposed he really did not have to come all the way here to read the clue, but it was the tallest building in Gotham City. If he was going to be doing any heavy thinking he wanted to do it where he felt the safest.

Once settled he pulled the parchment from where he'd tucked it into his utility belt.

"Alright, Riddler," he muttered, "Let the games begin."

With a deep breath Robin read the riddle.

_Round like a saucer,_

_Deep like a cup,_

_But the Mississippi River,_

_Can't fill it up._

_(Game on, Boy Wonder)_

Robin closed his eyes in thought. Round like a saucer…. He knew this riddle. His mother had once told it to him.

Brief impressions of bright colors and canvas tarps flitted across his mind before the husky voice of his mother told him the answer.

"A sieve!" The shout was lost to the night air around him. Wayne Tower was too far above the rest of Gotham for it to echo. Robin clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oops…."

Despite knowing he was alone Robin glanced around before activating his comlink.

"Agent A?"

"Here, Master Robin," The distinguished voice crackled down the line, distorted both by the cave from whence it originated and the high winds atop Wayne Tower. "How may I be of assistance? Or is this simply your hourly check in that you missed the last two hours?"

"Uh, yeah, sorry A," Robin muttered. Alfred Pennyworth could guilt trip with the best of them. Not even Batman was immune. Robin figured he had no chance.

Silence greeted his apology, "Right, so, Gordon called me to the station and gave me a riddle." Robin hoped just ignoring the older man's annoyance would make it go away.

"Of dear," Alfred sighed, "I suppose I shall need to call Master B-"

"NO!" Robin half shouted, "I mean, no. Sorry, A. It's just-" He sighed, "He doesn't think I can do things but I can. I need to prove to him that I'm not just a kid to be…."

"Left behind while he goes to a very important business meeting?"

"Yeah," Robin muttered. "I'm being stupid. But please don't call him?"

A heavy huff of air reached him over the line. "Very well. Then may I ask why you called?"

"Well the riddle's answer is a sieve, but I don't know how that's a threat."

Silence filled the line as Batman's allies and family thought. "I'm afraid that I too am drawing a blank, Master Robin," Alfred finally sighed. "I shall endeavor to have something for you on your next hourly check in." Not a very subtle reminder, but then, the boy was only thirteen. Alfred supposed subtlety would come later.

"Okay, A," Robin muttered, "Thanks for the help."

With that he turned off the comm. and turned back to the city. He could not abandon his normal patrols just because the Riddler was loose. Maybe something would come to him as he moved. Sitting still for too long tended to put his brain in a fog anyway.

With that Robin pulled out his grapnel gun and threw himself from the tallest building in Gotham City.

Wayne Tower loomed over its closest neighbor by fifteen stories so the Boy Wonder plummeted nearly one hundred and fifty feet before unfurling his cape and slowing to a reasonable gliding speed. It would be suicide to launch a grappling hook before slowing down at least a little.

Once he reached a safe velocity Robin fired the grapnel gun and began swinging across Gotham, looking for crime.

Unbeknownst to Robin two pairs of eyes watched his descent from the Tower.

* * *

FIVE MINUTES AGO

Kid Flash shifted uncomfortably, "Why are we here, Flash?" He muttered. They were crouched in an alleyway just south of Wayne Tower, both dressed in their stealth suits. His uncle did not look away from the top of the Tower.

"Batman asked the League to keep an eye on Gotham, but not to interfere," he explained.

Kid Flash groaned quietly, "I KNOW that! So why are we here? This kinda seems like interfering to me."

Flash shook his head, "Nah, it's only interfering if the cops or bad guys catch us."

"Or Robin," Kid Flash added, "He's gonna be pissed when he finds out we were here. The kid's been on a short fuse all week."

Flash ginned at him, his teeth shining in the din light of the alley, "So don't tell him Kid Mouth."

Kid Flash squawked in protest, "Hey! Rob-" His uncle held up one hand, effectively killing the boy's protests.

"Look," he pointed to the barely visible speck atop Wayne Tower.

"Yeah, so? Robbie's been up there for like FOREVER," Kid Flash snapped. Flash did not respond. He didn't need to. The speck was moving.

Kid Flash quickly pulled down his goggles and zoomed in. Robin appeared to be talking to someone and not getting the answers he wanted by the frustrated way he ran his hands through his hair. Finally he jabbed viciously at his glove and turned to the edge of the building. Without a moment's hesitation he leaped.

Instantly Wally's fertile mind began calculating the height of the building and-Robin's-mass-and-oh-God-he-was-going-to-reach-terminal-velocity-and-

The only thing that stopped Kid Flash from darting over to attempt to catch his plummeting friend was his mentor's iron grip on his shoulder.

"You're vibrating," the Flash noted wryly.

"Of-course-I'm-vibrating-Robin-just-jumped-off-a-building-and-he-can't-fly-and-"

The Flash laughed, "Kid, slow down and watch."

He did as he was told. Implicit trust was a huge part of their relationship, after all. But his fear kept Kid Flash from slowing completely down. So he watched Robin fall in slow motion. Five Stories. Ten. Fifteen.

Finally the boy shifted and seemingly sprouted wings. Kid Flash let out the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding.

"You could have told me," he hissed. Flash simply shrugged.

"Way more fun to watch you freak out." Kid Flash stared at the top of Wayne Tower. He couldn't even begin to contemplate jumping from that height without air support and his advanced healing factor.

Suddenly the Flash laughed, "Kid, the first time Bats did that I followed him around for a week. He finally threatened to neuter me if he saw me again." He smiled softly at his nephew who had ceased to listen.

He gently pushed the boy in the direction the Boy Wonder went. "Go on, go make sure he's okay. You're not going to be any use to me until you do anyway."

Flash smiled down at him and once again Wally found himself thanking the Speed Force that he had Barry in his life.

"Thanks," he wrapped the older man in a tight hug before darting off into the night.

Flash's grin only widened. He clicked his communicator on.

"Did you hear all that Agent A?"

"Indeed I did, sir," the distinguished British voice soothed the speedster in a way few things could, "And thank you. Master Robin would never say as much to me, but he is worried about this case. It will do him good to have a friend along to watch his back."

"Anytime. Well I have to be getting back home. I heard something about Captain Boomerang and a bank."

Before Alfred could answer the Flash was half way to Central City. He might have been bothered were it not for the habits of his charges. As it was the elderly gentleman simply smiled softly and settled back into his chair. Master Robin would be calling soon.

* * *

Fifteen miles away Robin swung from rooftop to rooftop looking for crime. His wrist computer beeped periodically, telling him which turns to make when. Batman spent three days last year devising an ever shifting route of patrols. Each evening the computer generated the patrols paths for that night. The patterns ensured that no area of the city would ever be unobserved for too long. Most nights Robin's generated path lined up with Batman's but in the last six months Bruce had begun granting him more autonomy. Their new patrols would begin together and often they would cross paths or travel together for a time but Robin now also traveled on solo patrols. The new found freedom was both exhilarating and frightening.

Currently he traveled an amalgam of his and Batman's routes. Robin had no wish for the areas Bruce was supposed to patrol to go unwatched for the full length of the man's trip.

A higher pitched beep than the previous ones drew him to a stop. The computer had identified a threat to the jewelry store ten stories below him and advised he watch for any signs of activity. Robin tucked himself against the edge of the rooftop overlooking the store and waited.

As he watched his mind drifted back to the problem of the riddle. A sieve might just be the least threatening of all kitchen implements… well except maybe in Bruce's inept hands. Robin giggled a little as he thought of his guardian's utter inability to operate anything in a kitchen.

Suddenly his head tilted to the side. That soft scrape-

"Hi, KF," he grinned.

"How! How the hell do you do that? I didn't step on anything, I wasn't moving fast enough to create a breeze, I definitely wasn't talking, I know you can't smell me, I-"

"Your boot brushed the edge of the roof when you climbed off the fire escape."

Kid Flash stared at him for a second before deciding that it really was better to just move on.

"So, whatcha doing?" He zipped over to join Robin at the edge of the roof. He peered over, caught a brief glimpse of an abandoned street before the younger boy yanked him back and down onto the ground.

"What was that for?"

"The moon's behind us, moron. I don't want your silhouette scaring them off."

"Scaring who off, in case you didn't notice, Rob, the street's deserted."

Robin scoffed, "Well, yeah. They're not here yet." They sat in silence for a minute, "Why are you here?"

Kid Flash shuffled back and forth uncomfortably; he really disliked lying to his friend. The eye-holes of Robin's mask narrowed and Kid Flash knew the boy was glaring at him.

"Fine!" he threw his hands up and gave in, "Flash and I were checking up on you."

The eye holes widened dramatically and Robin turned away, facing the street with tense shoulders. His fingers gripped the casing of his binoculars so tightly they creaked in protest. Kid Flash winced.

"Flash was just worried about you." No response. Kid Flash tried again.

"We were bored at home and Gotham is more fun?" Nada.

"I wanted east coast pizza?" Nope.

"Fine, I was worried, Rob. You've been off ever since Bats left and I needed to know that you weren't doing anything stupid."

The grip loosened.

Robin sighed, "I'm not going to go off the deep end just 'cause Bruce has some board meetings, Wal."

Kid Flash moved to sit next to him. He nudged Robin with his shoulder.

"I know," he said, uncharacteristically seriously. "But we're allowed to worry about you, Dick."

Robin nodded silently.

A cat yowled somewhere below them and Robin jerked away. He turned back to observe the jewelry store again. Kid Flash held back a sigh. It was so difficult to get anyone close to Batman to open up…. Stupid cat.

After ten minutes of watching the empty road Robin spoke again, "How would you hurt someone with a sieve?"

"A what?"

"Or a colander?"

Kid Flash stared. "I-"

But Robin still mused, "Of course I guess any strainer or grate would count." He looked at Kid Flash expectantly. Kid Flash stared back in confusion.

"Do you really want an answer?"

"Yes?" Robin cocked his head to one side.

"Uh, I guess I would hit them with it?" But Robin was shaking his head for Kid Flash even finished the thought.

"Nope, too boring. Come on, Kid, get creative. If you were going to kill thousands of people with a strainer how would you do it?"

"I don't know man!" Kid Flash threw up his hands in frustration. Robin did not seem to notice his frustration. Silence descended once again.

Time seemed to crawl by. Kid Flash was not used to this type of patrol. Normally the Flash would run around the city in one direction while he ran in the other and they would meet up if any big bad guys were starting something. This- this was torture. His foot tapped at super-speed and suddenly his mouth felt parched.

"You have any water in that utility belt, bat scout?" he sniped, wondering why he had ever wanted to join his friend on patrol. Robin did not respond.

"Uh, Rob-" Robin leaped to his feet, whooping in joy.

"Okay, so stealth is clearly not important anymore?" Why did it always feel like he was fifteen steps behind the kid?

"KF, you're a genius!" Robin crowed.

"Well, duh," Kid Flash preened a little. He might not know why Robin thought he was a genius but if Robin said so then he was not about to argue.

"Come on, KF, I'll explain as we go."


End file.
